Wildside Art...for really wild art

Cheryl's Camellia Still Life I Card

2010-11-14T04:09:00.001-05:00

Camellia Still Life I

Camellia Still Life I - Cheryl's Card

Bravo Cheryl, this is so pretty, and cheerful. I love the lacy edge that accents the delicate flowers. This design can be purchased here.

Stop by Cheryl's blog get the scoop on this softly sweet card, and many other beautifully made cards!

Christmas Words - digital stamp by Deborah Boyet

2010-11-09T14:10:00.001-05:00

I am getting in the Christmas spirit, and inspired to make holiday digis. So here is the first of my new designs.

$3.00 Size 4x4 inches total

These are easy to resize, and would look great with some of those beautifully elegant holiday stamps. I will have more words and holiday digis out soon. I hope you enjoy these.

Please remember, these are copyright designs, and may not be shared. Pleasee refer your friends and customers to my site, they may download the free designs, or purchase those that are no longer free. Thank you for your support.

Subscribe to receive notice of new designs so you won't miss out on the free designs!

Please visit my blog for other digital designs.

Email me with requests, inquiries, and questions. Thanks for stopping by.

Tulips - New Digital Stamps by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-11-07T20:38:00.001-05:00

New - Digital Images!

Tulips I

$3.oo Size 3.5 x 2.5

Tulips II

$3.00 Size 3.5 x 2

I am offering all of my new digital images free for a very limited time. Every new image will be posted. All you need to do is click on the image to enlarge it, and then right click and save it.

Please don't miss this limited opportunity to have these images for free.

Note - These are copyrighted images, and may not be shared anyone.

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your journey in life, my friend.

Visit Blackberry Lane Designs Blog for other images.

Email me with requests or questions.

Snowflake Paper by Deborah Boyet

2010-11-07T01:46:00.001-04:00

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let is snow! I know it is still fall, but I have already had so many Christmas requests that I decided to work on a few designs. First up is a square design with an opening for a photo, or other stamped image to peak through. I love all the different colored snowflakes on this grey-blue background. I hope you enjoy them too!

What if this is not the correct size? For those of you who know how to resize, great! For those who are still learning the beauty of digi stamps and paper.....stay tuned. I will be adding tutorials with a lot of screen shots to guide you step by step in learning.

Let it Snow!

$3.00 Size 5x5 inches

This is the only way I will still be able to offer free designs to those who sign up for the new postings. Thanks for your help!

Please visit Blackberry Lane Designs blog to view other designs.

Email me with requests, inquiries or questions.

And, as always thanks for stopping by!

Camelia Still Life Digi Stamp Design by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-11-04T03:32:00.002-04:00

New Still Life Design

Camellia Still Life Digital Stamp

$3.00 Size 3.5 x 3 inches

I hope you enjoy this stamp. Free stamps are easy to download, simply click on the stamp, a new window will open, and then you just right click on the picture and save! Purchased stamps will be sent in a zip file format. Stay tuned as I will be adding tutorial with screen pictures on how to unzip files that are downloaded.

This is a copyrighted design, so it may not be shared. Please refer your friends and customers to my site to get their own copy.

Thanks for stopping by. Check back as new designs will be added dayly, or weekly.

All designs may be found at Blackberry Lane Designs Blog.

Email me with requests, questions, or inquiries.

Camellia & Chickadee - New Digital Stamps by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-11-03T18:14:00.006-04:00

New - Digital Images!

Camellia I- New Digital Design

$3.00

Blackcapped Chickadee I- New Digital Design $3.00

Note - These are copyrighted images, and you may not share them with anyone.

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your journey in life, my friend.

Visit Blackberry Lane Designs Blog for other images.

Email me with requests or questions.

New Digital Stamps by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-11-03T16:57:00.003-04:00

New Digital Images

Dahlia 1

$3.oo

White Flower

$3.00

New Business - Digital Stamps

2010-11-02T12:43:00.003-04:00

Hello again everyone!

I am excited and sad......excited because I am starting up my new business of digital stamp designs, and hopefully will also hear back from the licensing agent on acceptance to their group. I was approached earlier this year in Atlanta, and have put it off until this fall when my studio was completed. So now I am off on new endeavours. The digi stamps came about as my sister is an avid stamper and card maker. She piqued my interest, and I had to give it a try. The company has been named Blackberry Lane Designs.....this is actually an old business name for me. It is the original name I chose when I started selling paintings over 16 years ago! I changed to Wildside Art when my art turned toward wildlife and nature.

Sadly, this means a bit of a departure from my usual painting style and sales. Hopefully, I will finish enough designs and be able to get back to my norm.

Please stay with me, as I will still have a lot of useful info on photoshop, and on the licensing world, and still have some unfinished paintings that I will be working on.

The licensed art will be somewhat similar to what I have been doing, but will be designed for licensing on products.

Here is my first digi stamp. Still working out the size kinks. Human error I am sure, but still.....Dang Photoshop program!

Here is the new link to my stamp design blog. Nothing up there yet....lol.....hopefully tomorrow!

Blackberry Lane Designs

Email me with questions or inquiries

Thanks for stopping by and with the holidays fast approaching, I hope you stop, take a moment to be still in your heart and soul, and enjoy your journey in life, my friend.

International Artists Day - Wildlife Artist Robert Bateman Inspires Me by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-10-25T10:06:00.006-04:00

International Artist Day - I am celebrating the life and art of Internationally renowned wildlife artist Robert Bateman!

I am excited to participate in the celebration of International Artists Day. Every October 25th they celebrate artists around the world. As part of the AIG and DPIAG group we decided to pick the artist that has most inspired us. In my case that would be the world renowned wildlife artist Robert Bateman.

He is a wonderfully gifted artist, and here is my story. I had been a decorative artist for many years, as well as working a regular day job to support my family. While working for a t-shirt printing operation in 1992 I stumbled across a magazine I had never seen before. It was Wildlife Art News.

From the earliest time I remember I loved animals. My trips to the St. Louis Zoo were magical, and I lived for Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom on TV every week. I was enthralled, and wanted so much to be a part of that life, however I grew up in a practical family, with practical parents who had no time or interest in the whimsy of a little girl. I grew up believing that life was for someone else. So you can imagine my surprise, and excitement when I saw the magical paintings of so many wonderfully gifted artists in the magazine. I immediately suscribribed, and over the course of time one artist in particular stood out. That would be Robert Bateman.

His work is so realistic you feel like you can reach out and touch the animals, and the world in which they live. Every leaf, blade of grass, and field of snow can be felt. The animals are magically transported into my life. I read every article written on Mr. Bateman, and have been impressed as over the years he has given back so much to the world that he feels has given so much to him. He is very generous with his conservation work, and gifts of art, and is an active conservationist. I have never been fortunate enough to have studied with him, and as he is advancing in age, I fear I will never even have the chance to meet this larger than life person who has so inspired and changed my art. I do however collect the books that exhibit his art, and speak of his wonderful vision for changing how man perceives the gifts God has given for all to see and share.

So, on my first day of celebrating International Artists Day, my wish is to pass on to those around me the wonderful visions of wildlife artist Robert Bateman.

Please visit his website to view his work and conservation missions, and also stop by International Artists Day website as well.

On this special day, I hope you take time to stop and enjoy your journey in life my friend, and inspire the life of someone else as well.

International Artists Day

Robert Bateman

Please visit my website, my blog, or my AIG and DPIAG galleries to view my available works of art....including wildlife art!

Please email me with inquiries or questions, and thanks for stopping by!

Lotus Kanji -Completed by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-10-24T12:22:00.002-04:00

Lotus Kanji

8x12 Watercolor on Arches Board

Original $300

Giclee $50

Lotus Kanji - Work in Progress Update by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-10-23T13:01:00.004-04:00

Lotus Kanji

8x12 Watercolor

Work in Progress

This piece is close to being finished. I still need to add detail to a few petals, deepen some shadows for depth, and deepen a few background areas for effect. I have not decided if I will tint the Kanji "lotus". I am going to test it in Photoshop first. This piece will be offered for sale, as well as Giclee' prints.

I have a few other pieces started including a butterfly, before I can start on some of the photos from my trip. It is a shame we had a tight schedule traveling, and there was no time for plein air. I am thinking about taking a travel nurse contract in the NE next year so I can paint on location.

Thanks for stopping by. Please visit other works for sale on my website, my blog, or my AIG and my DPIAG galleries.

Please email me with inquiries or questons.

Take time to enjoy your journey in life, my friend.

"Walking above water like a fairy

Wearing a red hairpin

Fresh from a bathe in the Hua Quing pool

With a rosy cheek from drinking."

~ Caixing (Zhang Cuiying)

Lotus Kanji - Work in Progress by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-10-21T13:17:00.004-04:00

Lotus Kanji I

Watercolor 8x12

Work in Progress

Lotus and waterlilies have elegance and vibrant colors. The petals are semi-translucent, which produces such beautiful shadows and the veining is attractive.

This is the first in a series of Kanji paintings with lotus and waterlilies. A few years back I did a series with Koi, and will likely do some more soon.

As always thanks for stopping by. To view other works for sale, please visit my website,

my blog, my AIG or DPIAG galleries.

Please email me with inquiries or questions.

Today is a perfect Indian summer day, with the cooler nights, and warm days. I am enjoying them while they last!

Washington DC Botanical Garden Photos by Deborah Boyet

2010-10-20T10:18:00.004-04:00

DC Botanical Garden Flowers

We stopped in Washington DC on the way home from our New England fall trip. I was thrilled to see there were still roses in bloom, and they have an orchids area in the garden as well.

I am now home, household chores caught up, and I am in my studio this morning. I have a few paintings I am in the process of completing and a lot of photos to sort through and mark for painting. I love the Adobe Bridge program for rating my photos, and at a quick glance I can see which photos have been prioritized for painting. Bridge is worth taking a look at, as I can rate photos 1-5 stars and also add colored bars over the stars to mark them in categories, such as oils, watercolor, floral, still life, bird reference shots. When you open a folder you can tick the categories you wish to review, and only those photos will be seen.

I spend a lot of time reviewing photos, and I don't want to look through thousands of photos every time I want to paint. For example, I took close to 4000 photos just this trip. My Yellowstone trip added over 10,000! So you can imagine I have a lot of files, and using Bridge makes my choice much easier.

To view other work for sale, please visit my website, my blog, or my AIG or DPIAG galleries.

Email me with inquiries or questions.

"I dream a lot. I do more painting when I'm not painting. It's in the subconscious." ~Diego Rivera

"At moments of great enthusiasm it seems to me that no one in the world has ever made something this beautiful and important." ~Andrew Wyeth

Cotton Watercolor Painting by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-10-14T10:10:00.003-04:00

Dixie Delight

Cotton Series I - Art for License

5x5

I love the way cotton in a field looks when it is ready for picking. We often joke about our "Southern snow". The hard shell covering the cotton, and the leaves turn beautiful colors of brown and gray.

This is #1 in a series for license. There will be a minumum of 4-6 in this series. For information on license please email me.

Please stop by my website, my blog, or my AIG and DPIAG galleries to view other work for sale.

Happy Birthday to Me! More New England Pictures

2010-10-13T23:03:00.005-04:00

I am happily typing this in the fabulous room my husband booked at the Sun Spree Resort in Bar Harbor, Maine....rather I should say a suite! Poor fellow suffered horribly with either food poisoning, or a stomach virus, and still made my day. We went to my favorite falls on White Mountain, and made it to the resort early evening. We will be spending the day tomorrow in Acadia National park, and then will start slowly making our way home on Friday.

I hope you enjoy a few of the photos I have taken on this trip, and once again, I have to thank my sweetie, for making this trip so wonderful.

I am having a lot of fun, but I am equally looking forward to returning home and starting on new paintings, and challenges.

Thanks as always for sharing my love of nature and art.

Please stop by my website, my blog, or my AIG or DPIAG galleries for available art.

Or email me with inquiries or questions.

New England Fall Foliage Photography by Deborah Boyet

2010-10-11T22:59:00.003-04:00

New England Wild Apples I

New England Wild Apples II I love wild apples, and these were growing along side the roads, neglected, and gnarled, and grumpy looking. Yet even with their forlorn look, and lost care, they produced some yummy apples. The foliage was so beautiful as well.

White Mountain Fall Foliage 2010

We were in the White Mountains today, and they were gorgeous! They have peeked in a lot of the areas, but there are still a lot of color. I love birch trees. Their brilliant white bark, set a sleek contrast with the dark evergreens, and bright colors.

Below is a photo I was lucky enough to catch in the fading light. The golds were brilliantly reflected in the water and the white of the fallen birch reminded me of the old bones of a forest, showing their age.

Fallen Birch and Reflected Colors

These are some of the photos I will be painting when I return home. We still have over a week to go. Tomorrow we explore more of my favorite White Mountain, Fraconia Notch and Crawford Notch areas. Then off on Wednesday to the Maine coast, with a focus this year on Bar Harbor area, and Acadia National park.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing my photos and trip with me. I do offer photos for sale, as limited editions to frame and some as reference photos for artists. Contact me if you are interested.

Please stop by my website, my blog, or my AIG or DPIAG galleries to view paintings for sale.

I try to take the time every day to stop and look at something small, a view overlooked by others, or the very obvious spectacular view that cannot be missed. But take a moment out of every day, and give thanks for all we have been blessed with, it's beauty, splendor, and wonder. It is a perfect fit, has a reason, a purpose, and a role to fulfill. Just like us!

Enjoy your journey in life, my friend.

"It was Indian summer, a bluebird sort of a day,

As we call it in the North

Warm and sunny, without a breath of wind.

The water was sky-blue,

the shores a bank of solid gold." ~Sigurd Olson

Bluebird Watercolor Painting Completed by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-10-08T23:21:00.006-04:00

Visitor In My Garden

6x10 Watercolor on Arches Board

Original $175

Giclee $50 (edition size 150)

I love painting birds. They are one of my favorite animals of God's creation, with their cheerful spirit, and chatty sing-song in my yard. I love to watch them splash in the birdbath, and feed from the feeders.

Below is a close-up of this sassy, little bird.

Thanks for stopping by. You may view other works for sale on my website, my blog, and my AIG and DPIAG galleries.

I am touring NE for two weeks, gathering photos, and ideas for new landscapes. The weather is gorgeous, and we will be in Vermont tomorrow. The fall season passes so quickly, and before we know it, there will be snow flurries and the flurry of holiday activities, and gatherings. So I can honestly tell you that I am taking time to drive the side roads, whereever they lead, enjoying the scenery, and taking brief moments so I may lock them away in my memory, to enjoy on a cold, or lonely day...I am enjoying my journey in life. I hope you do as well, my friend.

Magnolia Watercolor Batik by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-10-07T20:13:00.008-04:00

Southern Beauty III

Watercolor Batik 14x18

Original $300

Open Edition Prints $20 I love to paint watercolor batiks! They are magical, soft, yet they have an unsurpassed vibrance, due to the translucent rice paper. And the rice paper is so attractive with the fibers that absorb more of the color.

Photoshop Copyright Brush Tutorial by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-10-05T14:59:00.021-04:00

Copyright Brush Tutorial by Deborah Boyet Here is the Copyright Brush tutorial I promised. I can, and will make these brushes for others for a fee. You can email me if you are interested, but you should try this. I have put a lot of screen shot pictures with notes to help visualize the steps. Please note that this is a copyrighted article. I do not mind sharing this article, please ask for permission to use it. Email requests to dboyet10@gmail.com Thank you. First I need to say that I have only worked in CS3, so I am not sure about earlier versions working with the following, but it is likely similar with all of the Photoshop CS’s. You can email me, and I can try and research the difference, if you can’t make it work. A copyright is essential to protect your artwork. A brush with your signature trademark or whatever you want to use, and with the ability to adjust the transparency, and color is unique to your work, and in my opinion a great addition to your already beautiful piece of artwork. There are a lot of wonderful types free for download, and look really cool. I will list those sites at the bottom of this tutorial. I will also cover in the next tutorial how to make an embossed watermark, either one works well, it just depends on your preference. Play with them both. You can find what you like, and develop new Photoshop skills…..and we artists in this day of computer and internet and newly developing ways to make art, can always use the additional skills. Ok, here we go! 1. Go to File>New File, to create a new document. You will want to use a transparent background, but the size is not of importance. You can use the default. I tend to vary mine. Resolution only needs to be around 96 or so. 2. Select the text tool and the font you want to use. You also want to select regular, italic or bold, if those options are available for that font. I have downloaded and used Bleeding Cowboys for one of mine. Choose your font size. I usually set mine to at least 72, so I can see how the lettering looks. 3. Now choose your font color. Black is a good default. You want to see how the lettering looks while you are making the brush, and you can change the color, and opacity when you use it.

4. Next type what you want your brush to say (copyright, year, name, etc). To use © symbol – Mac type Option+G Windows – hold down the Alt key while pressing numbers 0169. Note-you must use the numbers key not the numbers above the keyboard. On a laptop you will have to access the onscreen keyboard. It can be found in Start>Control Panel>Control Panel Home>Appearance and Personalization>Ease of Access Center>Start On-Screen Keyboard

5. Ctrl+click/ +click the text layer icon to select text. It is in the Layers panel on the right.

6. Select the brush tool and make sure the hardness setting is set on 100%.

7. From the menu at the top choose Edit>Define Brush Preset or whatever your similar Photoshop menu indicates.

8. Name your brush and click OK You did it! No need to save your document. Close it, and open a picture of your painting. Now you can use your brush….here’s how. Also, here are a few of the websites with 1000’s of free fonts for Windows and Mac users alike! You can donate with PayPal to the creator of the font if you like it and want to donate a few dollars.

1001 Free Fonts Urban Fonts Dafont.com Free Font Downloads Fontspace

9. Select the brush tool from the tool bar menu on the right side of your screen 10. Go to the Brush Presets in the tool options bar. Choose the copyright tool you made. It will likely be at the very bottom of the list. 11. Next create a new layer in your document and then use your brush to paint your copyright in that layer. Using layers allows you to dump the layer if you make a mistake, and allows you to change the opacity, color, and size as you see fit by simply choosing in that layer. See below for views and notes IMPORTANT - Make sure to save the document as a new document or copy of the original. You should never alter the original, as you cannot undo any changes made, and you may want to do something else with the original photo at a later date.

Figure 10 Choosing Colors

Figure 11. Make a New Layer

Figure 12 Change the Opacity of Your Brush

Bluebird Watercolor Painting Work In Progress by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-10-04T12:52:00.003-04:00

Work in Progress

6x10 Watercolor

This is another watercolor board, and I am really loving these boards! They are receptive, and to me, are so similar to regular watercolor paper, yet none of the stretching, or buckling, and struggles of regular paper, and they are resonably priced too.

Bluebirds are so soft, and sweet feeling, and this guy is no exception. He almost looks as if he is saying grace before he partakes of his meal.

The berries are only based in at this point, and the tree branches have begun to show some detail. The bird is in the final stages, but will remain unfinished until I complete the rest of the painting. At that point I can choose what I want to emphasize, how much brighter I want the white of his chest to be, and if any more detail will be added to the feathers, especially around his head area. I love the strong contrast of the blue and orange, but will have to bring some of the orange into the bird to anchor him, and keep the berries from overtaking the painting. As I develop them, I will choose how to make them become a pathway in the painting, to keep the viewer in place. This is a fairly simple painting, yet it has such strong appeal. I love the simplicity of some of my bird paintings. I think it is because that is what I see in birds. They are so beautifully detailed, and exceptionally lovely, that they require little in the way of extra to entrance a viewer. These are truly one of God's greatest gifts to the earth, and man.

As I sit in my studio today, and listen to the birds joyfully singing, it lifts my heart and spirit, makes me glad I am alive...makes me feel so alive, and I am grateful for His grace, and love, and for the wonderful day I have been blessed with.

Please visit my website, my blog, or my AIG and DPIAG galleries for other available works, and as always, enjoy your journey in life, my friend.

"Beauty is the gift of God." ~ Aristotle

"There is nothing that makes its way more directly into the soul than beauty." ~ Joseph Addison

Grape Watercolor Painting Completed by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-09-29T23:34:00.006-04:00

Wild Grapes I

12 x 16 Watercolor

Original and Giclee' (edition 150)

Original & Giclee'

I have added some green to a few of the grapes, deepened some shadows and added a strong magenta in some of the grapes shadows to add vibrancy. I painted over two of the large stems and finished the details on the others. The grapes breaking the border were completed with less vibrancy, and detail, yet they add a nice balance to the border breaks.

This kind of painting looks wonderful with a mat and frame. The right mats will bring out the color and enhance the areas that break the borders.

Please visit my website, my blog, and my AIG and DPIAG galleries for other available works.

There is a definite change in the weather. The days are growing shorter, and one of my favorite seasons is fast approaching. I love the feel of the nip in the early air and the warmth the sun brings in the afternoons. The leaves begin to change and fall, and the birds in my yard are quick to eat up the seed. I leave in a week for New England for my annual Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire trip my husband plans for us. I am so excited, and hope I catch the peak of the leaves, and that they are beautiful this year. I will start looking tonight at the foliage forecasts and keep my fingers crossed. Being a photography buff, I have gotten some of the most beautiful shots in that corner of the U.S. I have so much to look forward to and be thankful for. As always thanks for stopping by and enjoy your journey, my friend!

Work In Progress - Use of Figure 8's in Design by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-09-29T13:31:00.007-04:00

Ready for Picking!

Work In Progress

12 x 16Watercolor on Arches Art Board

I have added a lot to the grapes in terms of depth and layers, and they are close to completion. I filled in the lower right corner to balance values on the left side of the painting, and to keep it from drawing too much attention away from the grapes. I will need to complete the stems and grape details and will likely fill in the stem on the lower right of the painting. Right now it is very distracting. The completed painting will be one for my series I am submitting for license.

I like to break the borders in my paintings. It adds interest, and is a great way to lead a viewer into a painting. However, if you are not careful, it can also lead a viewers eye right out of the painting. To prevent this, I keep the border breaks lower in contrast values, and often use figure 8's in my design to keep the viewer moving through the piece. In a copy of the image below I have put in the general figure 8's to show how they make movement. Go back to the one without the figure 8's and see if you can now see the movement and how it helps keep your eye from leaving the painting. The grapes on the right are incomplete and will stay that way until I finish the main painting. I will then complete them. I want to be able to keep them balanced and slightly less attractive, again to keep them from being too much of the focus of the painting. If the contrast is too high, they will become the center of attention. I will also need to add some sort of path from the main grapes to the ones in the border break on the right.

Design is so important in a painting. I don't always succeed in getting it right, and quite frankly, I often break the rules if it feels right, but it is a very important piece of planning, and remains a focus while I paint.

Figure 8 examples

There are three sets of figure 8's in this painting. Many more can be found and used, and it is easy with grapes to visualize this. As the painting continues to develop, I plan on using a cruciform or X as my main design pattern. This will be accomplished with the darker greens in the leaf/background area. I have not decided yet where I will cross the grapes.

I work slightly different in that I have a general plan, but also look for alternate ideas as the painting develops. Being flexible with my plan helps me get through difficult passages, and allows me to easily change my course.

Please stop by my website, my blog, my AIG or DPIAG galleries to view other works for sale, or to check out my use of design.

Please email me with any inquiries or questions.

Thanks for stopping by.

This is "World's Best Friends Week" so take time to stop and give your friends a hug, or if they are far away, then a virtual hug and a kind word will do!

"A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be." ~Douglas Pagels

Still Life Oil Painting by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-09-28T19:28:00.002-04:00

Found Treasure

11 x 14 Oil on Canvas

$325

I love old tea cups and small plates, and collect them to use in my still life paintings. This is one of my favorite blue & white cups. It has a small crack in it, and I chose to portray that slight imperfection. There is a hidden meaning behind this, as I want the viewer to see the beauty of the cup in the simple set-up, and then with closer inspection realize it has a blemish. Yet that doesn't change the beauty of this old, once treasured item. I found this cup in an antique store, sitting on the back of a dusty shelf in a stack of mismatched cups and saucers. Once discarded, it is now a treasured item in my collection.

Please view other works for sale on my website, my blog, and my galleries at AIG or DPIAG.

As the days grow shorter, and mother nature gives us a reprieve from the long hot summer, I hope you take time to stop and look closely at the world around you, and as always, enjoy your journey in life my friend.

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves ~ slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future." ~Thich Nat Hahn

Arches Watercolor Art Board by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-09-27T15:32:00.009-04:00

Grapes Watercolor Painting Work in Progress

on Arches Watercolor Board

I have found a new love! Watercolor Art boards. I am using Arches Coldpress board.

Here is a link with an interesting article about the boards on the Artists Network (The Artists Magazine, Pastel Journal, and Watercolor Artist). artistsnetwork.com Here is the link for information by the board manufacturer

I use a good quality two sided tape to secure the middle of the board to a painting board, and then tape the edges down as well with packing tape, or artists tape. Using the two sided tape down the middle prevents the center from starting to bow up.

I have always disliked stretching my watercolor paper. When I decide on a design, I don't want to wait for stretched paper to dry. Now, I simply draw my design, tape the board, and start painting.

It is slightly different than regular watercolor paper, but I enjoy how the board handles.

Still Life Oil Painting by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-09-25T21:56:00.000-04:00

Oranges and Carnations

12x9 Oil

$250

I love to paint still lifes. They are soothing to my soul, with their rich character. This one was painted shortly after my workshop with Internationally acclaimed David Leffel. I love the orange reflections in the vase and the shadows under the fruit.

To view other works for sale visit my blog, my website, or my galleries on AIG and DPIAG.

Thanks for stopping by.

Gerber Daisy Watercolor Painting by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-09-25T21:01:00.002-04:00

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not - Gerber Daisy

Watercolor

11x16

Original $175

Giclee' $40

I love the rich warm colors of the Gerber daisy. They are cheerful, sturdy little flowers.

Cardinal Painting Work in Progress by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-09-22T00:46:00.006-04:00

Back to the Easel!

Watercolor in Progress

10.75 x 7

Don't ask me why such a strange size...I have been trying to work toward "standard" mat and frame sizes in my watercolors. Guess I failed miserably here!

This is just a start, as I have been busy with Photoshop tutorial editing. I hope to have this piece finished soon. Note that I have used my Photoshop copyright brush!

She is beautiful even with her muted female coloring. She demands attentions as her soft brown-orange coloring is softly enhanced by the blue-gray background sky.

Follow her as she heads into Fall weather, a welcome break from the summer heat.

View my other works for sale on my website, my blog, AIG and DPIAG sites.

Thanks for stopping by and as September nears an end, and glorious October weather foliage begins....remember to enjoy your journey, my friend.

I thought this a fitting quote for the day

"Use the talents you possess - for the woods would be a very silent place if no birds sang except for the best." ~Henry Van Dyke

Photoshop Copyright Brush Tutorial

2010-09-21T23:13:00.003-04:00

I have completed the Photoshop Copyright Brush Tutorial. Please click on this link to view and download the document for your use. Free! Would love to hear feedback on ease of use, as I plan on more of these in the future. As always thanks for stopping by! You can view works for sale on my website or my blog. Please email me with questions or inquiries.

Camelia Painting Completed by Artist Deborah Boyet

2010-09-20T22:17:00.001-04:00

Kalmia Gardens V-Camellia

Watercolor 6x9 on paper

Original $200

Giclee' $40(edition size 150)

This will be the last camellia painting for awhile. I still have many, many more photos calling for me, bringing back memories of chilly days spent in the gardens...maybe that is why I like to paint them in summer!

This camellia is one of my favorite varieties. The pinks are delicate, with multitudes of color in the shadows and sunlight areas. I love capturing the blues and corals that peek through.

Camellia buds are especially fun to paint. They have great curves, hints of colors that meld into other colors and those great curvy, jagged sienna, and umber lines that outline where each petal will emerge. And a camellia's leaves are interesting, with blue shadows and reflected colors.

I hope you enjoy stopping by the camellia garden.

You can view more camellia paintings in my AIG gallery, my website, or my blog.

Please email me with inquiries or questions

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your journey in life, my friend.

"The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size." ~Gertrude S. Wister

Camellia Oil Painting by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-09-20T01:51:00.000-04:00

Kalmia Gardens II

Oil 12 x 12 x 1.5

Original $225

Giclee' $75

Another in my series of Camellias...if you haven't guessed by now, I really love these flowers. I look forward to them every winter. They are the only thing blooming, and here in the South, they are everywhere! This piece has won several top awards. The reds are lovely, and the greens of the leaves are inviting, exquisite, and continue onto the sides of the painting.

Visit my website or my blog to view other works for sale.

Please email me with inquiries or questions.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your journey in life, my friend.

Butterfly Collage and Acrylic by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-09-19T01:54:00.004-04:00

Flutterby Butterfly I

8x8x1.5 deep wood panel

Acrylic and Paper Collage

Original $125

Giclee' $50.00 (edition of 150)

I love butterflies, they are graceful, floating, creatures of God. I love the idea of being kissed by her wings, whispering secrets as she flutters by. I visit and photograph every butterfly house I can find. They are such wonderful places, even if I sweat enough to lose 10 pounds while I am in there.....added benefit, right??

Camelia Watercolor Painting-Work in Progress

2010-09-17T15:58:00.006-04:00

Kalmia Gardens V - Work in Progress Watercolor 6x9 on paper Another in my Camellia floral paintings. I just love these beauties. They are roses for winter. Soft, beautiful, and resilient. They bloom when everything else is still sleeping under a winter blanket of cold.

I love being outside taking pictures. My cheeks and nose are cold, but the warmth of the sun, and these hopeful flowers remind me that rebirth of nature is just around the corner.

I am still in the process of laying in some of the leaves. After that us finished, I will go back and deepen shadows, add details and add a few washes. Some to push strong details back, others to unify an area. I love watercolor, and find it very forgiving. Even though my work is very detailed, watercolor allows me to loosen up, lay in colors and play with washes, floating, and dropping in colors. I enjoy watching the layers deepen, and strengthen the piece.

You can view other works for sale on my website or blog

Email me with questions or inquiries.

Enjoy your journey in life my friend.

Like A Beautiful Pink Camellia

Like a beautiful pink camellia that's how you appear to me

That bloom in chilly August on it's dark green mother tree

So bright and fresh and pretty in the wintery wind and rain

That's how you've always looked to me and that's how you will remain.

............

~Francis Duggan

Camelia oil painting by Deborah Boyet artist

2010-09-13T19:07:00.008-04:00

Kalmia Gardens I - Camelia Painting 18x24 Oil on canvas $550 Kalmia Gardens is located in Hartsville, SC. It is a place that I love and have been visiting for years to photograph Camelias. I have hundreds of potential paintings waiting as a result of my time spent there. I can loose myself in the lighting, shadows, and lovely flowers! Take a closer look at the colors in this painting. They show the reflected color and translucent petals. The bud is really cute too. I am not offering this as a Giclee' at this time, but will consider it, if there is any interest. You can see other works for sale on my website and blog. Email me with inquiries and questions. As always, thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to visit me at Artists International Gallery

Landscape Oil Painting by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-09-12T11:37:00.006-04:00

"Swan Lake" by Deborah Boyet

16x20 Oil Painting on Canvas

Swan Lake is a beautiful community park and gardens in Sumter, South Carolina. It is one of the most peaceful places I have visited, and host to a large number of waterfowl, and birds. Springtime at the gardens is something to see, as the entire garden is ablaze in irises! This particular day was very warm for Spring, and I was seeking someplace cool to rest. The scene before me was captivating and inviting with the cool greens and dark shadows, dancing across the warm shallow areas of the lake. I particularly like the color play on the water.

9-11 NEVER FORGET

2010-09-11T16:43:00.001-04:00

I remember standing in a patient's room and looking up at the tv...at first I thought it was a movie, then I realized he was watching the news. I was horrified, and rushed out to alert everyone on the floor. Word quickly spread through the hospital and we all watched in horror and through tears as the story that would become one of America's worst tragedies.
My son and I talked at great length and over many days, weeks, months and years, as the story, and fight began to unfold, and continued.
I am proud of my son who now serves the Army and has left this month on his second tour to Iraq.
This is a picture I took of him the day he graduated boot camp. I felt pride, fear, joy, and saw a man, where a boy once stood.
I cannot even post this without those same tears from 9-11 and his graduation day coming to my eyes.

"United we stand, Divided we fall". We need to remember this, especially now where we seem so divided on so many issues in this country. We need to never forget that we are privleged to live in a free country, where we can speak our minds and live as individuals.

Orchid Painting by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-09-11T16:15:00.001-04:00

Wild Orchids I

Original 22x30 Watercolor on Paper

Giclee' 12x16 (edition size 150)

I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Marie Selby Botanical Garden in Sarasota Florida. What a beautiful place! There were hundreds of orchids in bloom and I was overwhelmed by their beauty. I love to paint white flowers as they reflect the colors that surround them, and the translucent petals have wonderful shadows. I hope you enjoy them, and thanks for stopping by!

"When speech comes from a quiet heart, it has the strengtht of the orchid, and the fragrance of rock. ~Stephen Mitchell, Four Watercolors by Tao-chi

Tulip Painting by Deborah Boyet Artist

2010-09-10T22:54:00.002-04:00

Spring Reminders Oil 12x16 $325

I love tulips! They hold such wonderful childhood memories of Spring growing up in the Midwest. My mother always planted tulips in the fall, and I would look for the green tips peaking through the ground in early spring. They would seem to grow almost in front of your eyes, and I knew when they bloomed we were close to Easter, and warmer weather.

News!! I have joined Daily Painters International Gallery & Artists International Gallery!!!

2010-09-09T13:34:00.000-04:00

I am proud to announce I have joined the Daily Painters International Gallery http://dailypaintersinternationalartgallery.blogspot.com/
and
Artists International Gallery
http://www.artistsinternationalgallery.com/

I should have some items and info posted this evening, but check back daily for new items available for sale and other useful information!

As always, thanks for letting me share my art, my thoughts and my ramblings.
D

Completed Studio and Trip Home

2010-09-09T01:59:00.001-04:00

It has been quite a while since I have posted! I took a long break for necessary personal events. I was blessed with a long trip home (St. Louis Mo) to visit my family, daughter, granddaughter, and my son who was visiting from Fort Hood in Texas. He is headed back for his second tour in Iraq this month and I am proud to be an "Army mom"! I won't bore you with all the details, but I will say that my daughter is still beautiful and has an especially beautiful, smart baby, and my son is working hard to keep all of us safe and free. I am proud of them both!
While I was gone the tile work was completed in my studio! Woohoo!!! I have been busy moving and organizing all my art stuff. I still need to move my chair and coffee table in, get closet doors, and the stained glass entrance door is incomplete, but my pooches and I are loving our new space! They make good use of their doggie door and catch a few early morning rays on the steps outside the door every morning. I am enjoying it when possible and hope to be back to painting every day next week.
I am in the planning stages of a series of bird and butterfly paintings. Photoshop is in overtime use and I have stayed up late most nights trying to get my series laid out. I still draw thumbnails, but most of my ideas are just as easy worked out in CS3, so I tend to use it more and more these days.
I hope everyone enjoyed the Labor Day weekend and stayed safe.
God bless us all and our nation!
D
"I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him." ~Abraham Lincoln

Miles takes on Phil the Gorilla at the St. Louis Zoo

Work in Progress - A Mother's Love Updated

2010-07-28T23:51:00.000-04:00

A busy week has kept me away from my easel and is leaving me feeling a little restless. The studio is so close to being finished, but now requires much more of my attention to the finishing details. Hopefully by this time next week, I will be unpacked, settled in and enjoying my new space!

I did sneak a few hours in and enjoyed painting the jigsaw puzzle that makes up this little girls face. It is close to being finished but lacks the finesse that details will provide. I have also made it past the mid point in a painting that is so frustrating. For me, anyway. Midpoint lacks the cohesion of color and detail that drives my compositions. I feel like I am painting and painting and gaining zero ground towards the finished piece. Then, in what seems like a blink of the eye, the painting transforms and I can see the end in sight. Don't get me wrong....I love to paint, period! But at some point, my mind starts to wander, and I find myself thinking about the next painting. Something will catch my eye, or I have stopped by the side of the road to photograph a frisky filly kicking up her heels, snorting with pleasure, and I am ready to start something new.

The background will be my greatest challenge in this painting. I have already deepened the yellow in the lower portion and lightened the upper right corner. I would like to add some greenery, but it may overpower the piece and make it too busy. I want the viewer to be focused on the loving, contented expression of the mother and the innocence of the young giraffe. I will likely Photoshop several ideas into the photo, before painting it on the board. I love having that tool! I can put general ideas to the test, especially if I find that I am not happy with the direction the painting is currently taking. I can then adjust colors and shape as I paint.

I try to find a quote for the day that reflects my mood. Today it deals with my struggles to continue to grow as an artist.

"Every creator painfully experiences the chasm between his inner vision and its ultimate expression." ~Isaac Bashevis Singer

Another Work in Progress!

2010-07-20T00:21:00.001-04:00

A Mothers Love I - Oil 27 x 42 Work in Progress
My ADD has kicked in....again. Oh well, why fight it. I have learned that keeping several paintings (up to 5 at a time!) keeps me interested, and in a weird way, focused.
I love to paint, and find that working on multiple paintings actually helps me work through the blocks that come with figuring out a painting. Anyway, this one was started and has progressed pretty well. There are several things that bothered me about this, as I am a real detail nut. The ears are slightly off on the mother, and the rest is just too unfinished to make any judgements yet.

I love wildlife, especially African species. They are so wonderfully exotic in their beauty. This is just another in my series of "A Mothers Love". I have multiple photos for sale, but this is the first painting. It touches my heart when I see wild animals display moments of affection with their young. I really live for those wildlife shots. Mothers by nature, and as our gift from God, are nurturing. This mother was nuzzling her baby, and had taken a brief moment to rest her head against the baby's neck and close her eyes. It was so sweet to see. Follow my progress as I continue to attempt to capture the sweet, soft moment in a baby's life.

This is a close-up view of the upper area of the mother. It is pretty close to finished, but I need to progress the baby's face, before I add much more to the mother. I love the blues and purples mixed into the white areas that enhance the orange-reds of the spots, and the black hairs.

Deborah Boyet on The Arts Map

2010-07-15T14:34:00.000-04:00

Deborah Boyet on The Arts Map I am now on The Arts Map so you can find my location, contact info, and hours for the studio.

Spring Fling -Work in Progress

2010-07-14T20:44:00.004-04:00

Spring Fling - Oil 12x24

This is still very much a work in progress. The photo does not do the background justice, and I hope to catch a better shot of the colors in the deep darks later. I started this painting with the deeper shadow colors and the flowers were very blue up until this stage. I am working up through the lights and the highlights as well as what I call the peek-through colors in very thin layers so the white doesn't come on too strong or too soon. This is very enjoyable and relaxing. Bringing in the purples, yellows and greens that peek through the white and blue. The piece has nice flow and reads well. The challenge is still the center of interest. I am one to break rules and I do not mind if my center of interest is, well, in the center. As long as the rest of the piece can carry it's weight and the eye moves well throughout the painting. Although the center flower is the whitest, it will have the least amount of detail, and variety of color when the painting is complete. I also have not finished adding the thin white/light layers, so it could very well be a place for the eye to rest.

I usually start out with an idea of where I want my center of interest, but I am very flexible and let the painting speak to me as it progresses. I find I fight less with the finishing the piece and they tend to be some of my best works.

I am big on composition, and flow as this is what draws a viewer and keeps them looking. Those two will often cause me to put a painting away (sometimes for a year or more) until my mind figures out the solution. There is rarely a painting I don't complete. I just put the paint on a piece of palette paper and mark it or write in my journal the watercolors I am using so I can easily pick up where I left off.

I love painting white flowers. These were deep in shadow and were very blue with the early light and the greens in the background. I will be adding in all of the details last....probably my favorite part of painting! All of the stamens and their cast shadows will be my puzzle challenge in this piece. I am very much a realist when it comes to painting. I will then turn it to the wall for a few days to a week. This gives me time away from the piece so when I look at it, any problems usually pop right out.

The studio is still very much a work in progress as well. The heated flooring is in, and the primer for all of the walls and hallways was completed today. My solid door will be cut in half soon (barn door style) and another opening cut out in the upper half for my stained glass magnolia piece. I will be adding moulding trim around the glass and also to make raised panels on the lower half. I hope my vision for the door will pan out. It will be based in french blue, the second coat will be white and then a stain will be added and wiped away to age it in the crevices. Then it will be sanded and aged to expose the blue and natural wood underneath. The hope is to get a French country look. We shall see!

"Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time." ~ Joel Barker

Camelia Painting by Artist Deborah Boyet

2010-07-11T15:08:00.029-04:00

Winter Roses - Camelia

"Winter Roses" -Camelias Painting

Watercolor 8x12

Original $275

Giclee on Watercolor Paper $40 Edition size 150

"Flowers have spoken to me more than I can tell in written words. They are the hieroglyphics of angels, loved by all men for the beauty of their character, though few can decipher even fragments of their meaning. ~Lyndia M. Child This is the newest in a series of camelia I am painting. They are one of my favorite flowers as they are a welcome sight at the end of winter. When I see them bloom, I know spring is just around the corner.

These red camelia were particularly beautiful against the dark blue-green colors that surround them. We have a beautiful gardens close by (Kalmia Gardens) full of camelia and they carry over to the college grounds. There is usually still a little bite in the air, yet the sun has started to warm, and it is great to be outdoors soaking it in.

I have become a photography buff over the years and enjoy the challenges of finding great nature shots. Digital photography has so many advantages over traditional film, and I love seeing if my lighting is correct for the shot. But it has it's disadvantages as well. I have by necessity started teaching myself CS3 and will cover some of the great shortcuts I have learned that I think will help my fellow artists and photographers. I try to use the photos as a starting point, but it is great when I can input some of my vision into the photo or correct the photo closer to what I saw when I took the picture.

New Journey - New Studio - Fresh Start!

2010-07-09T15:39:00.007-04:00

Well I am finally taking the plunge. I have had my blog for a while now, but life has been hectic, and it just kept moving down on the "to do list". Guess it finally made it to the top! I am knee deep in learning so many new things (Photoshop CS3, Corel Painter, blogging stuff) and still trying to paint. Add to all of that a move, and studio/gallery addition and life just gets crazy. I missed most of my competitions this year. That is a sad thing, but the trade off is well worth it. A new studio/gallery! I can't wait to get in it! Lots of closet space, new cabinets and counters, and beautiful warm, neutral colors. I am even getting heated tile floors! My dogs and I will love that this winter. I am adding a piece of my original stained glass to my studio door to complete the look. I will post pictures soon on the progress. Anyway, I hope you will enjoy following me on my life-long journey in art and my love of nature and animals. I am sure there will be a tale or two of my mischievous fur-children Kaleigh and Madison, and my real ones as well. They are both grown and live halfway across the country. I miss them everyday. Please stop by often and see what is new on the easel. "All of life is a journey. Which paths we take, what we look back on, and what we look forward to is up to us. We determine our destination, what kind of road we will take to get there, and how happy we are when we get there. Author unknown Enjoy your journey friend.

Early Light -Marsh Wren

8 x 10 Watercolor on paper

Original $200 & Giclee $40 Edition Size 150

One of my newest works in watercolors. This is a marsh wren, greeting the early gray morning with a chipper spirit. What lovely little birds they are....always striking a posing and taking on the world.

Other available works can be viewed on my website

Email me with inquiries or questions.